St. Bernard officials monitor Rita track

St. Bernard Parish officials said they are monitoring the path of Hurricane Rita, but at this point they do not plan to evacuate the essential personnel who remain in the parish.

The parish is largely deserted, due to the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina Aug. 29.

Parish spokesman Steve Cannizaro said Thursday that work continues to close gaps in levees along the northern and eastern flanks of the parish. The gaps were created after Katrina to help drain the floodwaters that swamped the parish.